


Rapunzel

by Star_Fata



Series: How Tim lost his Virginity Challenge 2009 [2]
Category: DCU, DCU - Comicverse, Robin (Comics), Supergirl, Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-04
Updated: 2013-03-04
Packaged: 2017-12-04 07:37:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/708198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Fata/pseuds/Star_Fata
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim and Kara bond over legendary heroines, Bart, and school. Things happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rapunzel

Tim looked up from his computer as Superboy threw himself onto the sofa. “Bad day?” He asked. He hoped Superman hadn’t done anything too bad. Last time, Kon had ranted for five hours before throwing the sofa out the window. And wasn’t that a joy to explain to Cyborg...

“He seriously expects me to give up my weekends to go to the Fortress!” Kon blurted. “I mean, give up seeing my girlfriend and my friends every week to go to an ice palace? No brainer! Never in a million years.”

Tim frowned behind his mask, absently noting that Kon considered his girlfriend a more important attraction than his friends. “Why does he want you to go to the Fortress of Solitude?”

“To help Kara adjust.” Kon replied flippantly, before continuing his rant.

Tim blinked twice, before the pieces came together in his head. “He left her in the Fortress?”

“Yeah. Says it’s just until she gets a handle on her powers.” Kon told him, recognizing a certain tone of voice from their Young Justice days. The ‘This-is-unacceptable-and-if-anyone-tries-to-stop-me-fixing-it-they-will-get-their-asses-kicked’ tone of voice, to be exact.

“I thought you said he and his wife were on vacation?” Tim questioned, remembering all the articles he’d seen by Clark Kent recently, and all the times Superman had volunteered for a non-urgent League duty since Kara had arrived on earth.

“Yeah, it’s their anniversary next week, but they’ve got an interview with some billionaire they couldn’t miss.” Kon explained. “So they went this week instead.”

Tim closed his eyes behind his mask and remembered the first week after his mother died. He’d been placed in foster care before Bruce could take him in, and he’d been terrified that Bruce would decide it wasn’t worth the effort to get him back, and he’d be lost in the files of Gotham Child Services forever.

He imagined going through the same thing, in an ice palace where his only companion was a robotic version of Alfred.

He decided that Superman was the biggest asshole on the planet, beating even Wally to the title.

“Invite her to the tower. That way you can spend time with Cassie, and Kory can help Kara adjust.” He suggested.

“Why Kory?” Kon asked, seriously considering this.

Tim sent him a reassuring smile. “She can relate to Kara, since she lived on Themyscira for a while as a guest. She can also relate to the whole Darkseid thing, being a former slave. Tell Clark that Kara’s learning to control her strength, since Kory’s stronger than average, and solar-powered.”

Kon grinned. “Thanks man!”

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Kara was so different to Kon. Where he was loud and brash, she pretended to have his confidence, but did so in such a way that Cassie and Kon were completely unaware that she was faking.

The older Titans had seen it all before and in most cases had done it themselves when they first joined. The only real surprise was when Bart admitted that he could relate to her.

“I knew what I could do. But I didn’t know how to do it, so I messed up a lot, and Wally kind of gave up on me. Max tried, but he was always more interested in how the Speed Force worked rather than what he could do with it.” Bart admitted. “It’s humiliating, and I’ve pretty much got to learn as I go. President Thawne didn’t know nearly as much about the Speed Force as he thought he did. And you have no idea how different this century is from the Virtual Reality he put me in. Things you guys just know are Greek to me.”

Cyborg placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll do better with Kara, I promise.”

There were times when Tim suspected that something had happened in the hospital that he was unaware of. Victor was always so careful of Bart’s feelings, and made sure he had a kind word for every reprimand Bart received.

Right now, it wasn’t important. He was just glad someone was looking out for Bart, and now they’d all be looking out for Kara.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

While Tim was typing up a report on Monsieur Mallah’s latest attack, Kara wandered into the living room.

“Hey.” He greeted, absently remembering a similar scene, with a different Super.

“Hey.” She replied, shifting awkwardly. “Is it alright if I...?” She gestured to the sofa next to him.

“Sure.” He said, going back to his work. When he felt the sofa move slightly, he glanced up. She’d sat down stiffly, as far away from him as it was possible to be. “I don’t bite you know.”

She jumped, then blushed. “I’m sorry.”

Tim smiled at her. “Don’t be. From what I’ve heard, contact wasn’t really a big thing on Krypton.”

“I suppose not.” Kara attempted a smile.

Tim sighed internally. She was worse than he was! He decided to try put her at ease. “So, what d’you think of Kory?”

Kara’s smile turned real. “She’s awesome. Is that the right word?” At his nod she continued. “She really cares about how I’m adjusting, and she gets that Earth is different. But her people, from what I understand, were practically the opposites of mine. She shows everything, her emotions, her skin...”

Tim laughed in agreement, and brought up an image on his screen. “You think Kory’s bad, check this out!”

At the sight of the Manga heroine wearing what appeared to be pieces of string, Kara let out a scandalized laugh. Sitting together, they began to search for the absolute worst clothing they could find.

Kara froze suddenly. “Go back!”

Tim did as she ordered. The picture she directed him to was an advertisement for the Barbie Rapunzel movie.

“It’s Cesaria!” She cried out.

“Who?” Tim asked, reluctant to intrude on her happiness, but his curiosity wouldn’t let him remain clueless.

She giggled. “Well, it looked like her. She’s never looked that ‘soft’ in any picture I’ve seen.” She turned to him, smiling brightly. Tim noted, in the part of his mind full of things that he would only admit under torture, that she was had a very nice smile.

She told him of a legendary warrior whose real name was lost to history, but who was remembered as Cesaria, she of abundant hair, and as one of a pair of sisters who were inspired by the legends of Nightwing and Flamebird to take up fighting when war came to their country. Women weren't allowed to fight, so they had made themselves costumes and searched out traitors and spies within the ranks of the Neastern Warriors. They had proved the existence of several high rank traitors, including a prince of the allied kingdom of Entorm. They never executed any themselves, and when the war ended they slipped into civilian life with ease.

“What were their codenames?” Tim asked.

“Anduril and Thorongil. The Flame of the West and the Eagle of stars.” Kara smiled. “There’s more. The war was over, but a new one began when Cesaria’s sister, Eldora (the golden one), married a nobleman. The new enemy was lead by the nobleman’s former lover, and the mother of his child, Espada, the Princess of the new enemy. Her first act was to raid his home and kill everyone there. Cesaria saw the smoke, and rode to the estate, followed by the guardsmen. Cesaria arrived in time for Eldora to die in her arms. Espada told Cesaria to tell the world what had happened, that war was coming once more due to the nobleman’s disgraceful actions towards her.”

Kara tossed her hair back, and continued her story. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cesaria stood up from her sister and looked at Espada. “You have no idea what you have done.” 

Espada laughed. “I’ve rid myself of several problems. Sorry if one of them was yours.”

“You are as ignorant as you are arrogant.” Cesaria said, coolly. “My sister, whom you murdered tonight with your own sword, was pregnant. You could have let her go, let her be your messenger. You didn’t need to kill her.”

“If the whore let him near her, she’s better off dead. Who knows what he’s picked up since he left me.” Espada mocked.

“She was no fool. He never did, although he thought he had.” Cesaria looked at her beautiful older sister for the last time. “Know this, Espada. If not for the woman who you struck down, you kingdom would have fallen just as surely as Neast. You have killed Thorongil, and Anduril with her. But I shall live, and I will kill you in battle, not in flight. I shall grant you that honour, though you denied it to my sister. She would have killed me otherwise.”

And with that, she turned and walked off the battlefield, her long hair swinging behind her. A knife was thrown at her back, but it shattered against her back.

“What the hell?” Espada cried out.

Cesaria called back without turning around. “I still have my secrets.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“So, she was a metahuman?” Tim asked.

“Meta-Kryptonian.” Kara corrected, just to be difficult. “Yeah, her hair was like my skin is now. She grew it long, and used it as a shield and as a weapon. She supposedly used it as a whip, but that probably wasn’t true.” She sighed. “She fought without mercy, but when it came down to it, she couldn’t kill someone in cold blood. Espada was turned into a permanent prisoner of war, in a fairly nice house. Cesaria raised her daughter, who supposedly founded the House of Ze. It was my dad’s favourite story to tell me, but my mom didn’t like it much. She always said I was going to be a scientist, not a soldier, so why fill my head with nonsense?”

Tim reached out to clasp her shoulder. “Well, if Eldora was the golden one, it’s clearly been passed down.” He joked, realising exactly what a bad joke it was. “The girl in the picture is the modern version of Rapunzel. The real story goes something like this...”

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Hey Robin.” Kara greeted as he entered the kitchen. It was lunchtime, and Bart was showing her how to make sandwiches. They’d been having fun experimenting with different fillings, and poor Gar had to leave for the sake of his stomach. Raven had left soon after, while Victor stuck around to see the ‘horror show’ as he was calling it, and Kory had gotten bored and went to tend to her garden.

“Hey Rapunzel. Bart, I don’t think Tuna and Honey go together, but if you leave the tuna alone I’ll be happy to eat that sandwich.” Tim said, cheerfully.

Bart sighed, far too deeply and dramatically to be real. “No one appreciates genius.”

The tuna was put onto the sandwich by itself.

“Rapunzel?” Vic teased. “Is there anything I should know about?”

Kara looked confused, and everyone could feel Tim rolling his eyes.

“It’s a nickname. Kinda like how you call Gar ‘Green Genes’ and he calls you ‘metal-head’.” Tim explained, partially for Kara’s benefit.

“Or like how the first Batgirl still calls Nightwing ‘Short Pants’?” Vic prodded, with a smile to show he meant no harm.

Tim sent an exasperated look his way, bit into his sandwich, and promptly started choking. When he’d recovered (and allowed his teammates to recover from their laughing fits) he pouted at them. “Bart, curry powder? Seriously?”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tim rubbed his cheek where Stephanie had slapped him. “What the hell?”

“Don’t you dare!” She screamed. “How can you do this to me, you, you BASTARD!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Calm down.” He ordered, angrily slipping into Robin mode. He took a second to be grateful they weren’t, actually, in costume.

She glared at him. “Your little girlfriend stopped by. She wanted me to pass on a message!” She shrieked.

Tim stared at her. “Who?”

“Oh great.” Steph snarled. “You don’t have any idea who I’m talking about, do you? What’s the matter, so many girls, so little time?”

She hissed at him. “Guess Supergirl just isn’t that memorable after all.”

Tim blinked. “You think I’m cheating on you because my friend, who happens to be female, asked you to pass on a message to me.”

Steph stepped back. “What?”

“I’m not that guy Steph. If you’d been paying attention for the last two years, you might have noticed that.” Tim said quietly. “Are you going to tell me what she said?”

“See you next weekend.” Steph mumbled, disorientated. “You... Weren’t cheating?”

“No. But I’m not going to suffer for your insecurities Steph. I’m sorry, but this is the second time you’ve accused me of cheating on you. Hell, we aren’t even together at the moment, so it doesn’t concern you if I do find someone.” Tim told her, before walking towards his original destination.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“I’m so sorry.” Kara apologized for the twenty-third time that weekend.

“It wasn’t your fault Rapunzel.” Tim groaned. “It’s not your fault Steph has issues, anymore than it was Star-girl’s.”

As Kara opened her mouth again, most likely to explain how it had been her fault, Tim interrupted. “My name’s Tim.”

Kara shut her mouth with an audible click. “Thank you..?”

“You’re welcome.” Tim smiled, settling back into the cushions. “Now, tell me honestly, who do you think is more likely to win, Toph or Melody?”

“Melody.” Kara answered, turning back to Wendy the Werewolf Stalker. “Toph sucks at cat-fighting, and she’s got a killer manicure.”

Tim grinned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Kara!” Tim called to her, as she ran into his arms for a hug. “Welcome to Gotham.”

“Thanks.” She smiled.

“Dad, Dana, this is Kara Kent. Kara, my dad, Jack, and my stepmom, Dana.” Tim introduced.

“It’s great to finally meet you Mr and Mrs Drake.” Kara greeted, readjusting her rectangular, thin wired glasses.

“It’s good to meet you too Kara, and please, call me Dana. Mrs Drake makes me feel old!” Dana shook her hand, laughing.

“Are you implying something Mrs Drake?” Jack teases.

Dana looks innocent. “Not at all Mr Drake.”

Jack offered to carry Kara’s suitcase, but Tim grabbed it before he could.

“It was nice of you to let me stay with you until I get settled.” Kara grins. She’ll be homeschooled by Helena Bertinelli, and her fellow student, Batgirl, will be her roommate for the next year or so. Even intensive schooling can’t catch her up that quickly, but she’s willing to help Cass with her reading, and that's more than enough for anyone.

It’s at this moment Tim realizes he might fall in love with yet another one of his best friends.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tim stared blankly at the wall as Kara came in. They’d battled Superboy Prime, and Kon was in Star-Labs. Cassie had been jumping in joy when they’d been told he was going to make a full recovery. He and Kara however, had lost their best friend to the Speed Force.

“I miss him. I don’t believe he’s dead, but I still miss him.” Kara informs him.

It’s these words that break the dam, that despite his father banning him from being Robin, forcing Kara to take his place for a time, despite the boomerang that had embedded itself in his father's chest, had never even cracked before. He and Kara curl up and cry themselves to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, they wake up at roughly the same time, arms and legs entangled to the point where it’s a nightmare trying to separate.

“Apparently, it’s romantic to wake up tied in knots with your bed partner.” Kara informs Tim as she tries to disentangle her hair from his uniform.

Tim scoffs. “What a load of grife.”

Kara agrees wholeheartedly. They laugh, almost hysterically.

The silence that follows is deafening.

“Bart kissed me.” Tim admits. “In Young Justice.”

“Oh?” Kara queries; leaning forward. “Did you kiss him back?”

Tim laughs. “We nearly ended up in my room. But then I remembered Steph, and it never seemed right to pick off where we left off.”

“I’ve never kissed anyone. At least, not that I remember.” Kara confesses.

Tim looks at her steadily. “Mind if I fix that Rapunzel?”

Kara looks in his eyes. “Not at all.”

The first kiss is gentle, chaste. The second and third kisses blur together, and their hands are on each other’s skin, and it feels so good that neither of them want to stop...

So they don’t. Clothes are shed, and they both know it isn’t love, but whatever it is, it’s real and that’s all they need right now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tim woke up for the second time that day. He looked at the clothes on his bedroom floor, and at the beautiful girl sleeping next to him. He sighed deeply. He loves Kara, the same way he loves Bart, and the way he might have loved Kon once upon a time. More than a friend, but not quite a lover and definitely not as a sibling.

He’s not naive, however. This could really fuck up their friendship.... If they let it.

 

He reached out with an amazingly steady hand to shake her awake. “Good morning Rapunzel.”


End file.
